Teen Accused of Stabbing Siblings Seeks Transfer of Case to Juvenile Court

Keith Heffintrayer•

Police vehicles parked outside of Oak Park Elementary on Feb. 22, 2021, following the stabbing of a young boy and girl.

The attorney for 15-year-old Nathan Serrano — the Lansdale teen accused of stabbing his two younger siblings in February — intends to file a petition seeking to decertify the adult court case and have it moved to juvenile court, according to a report by Carl Hessler Jr. at the Pottstown Mercury.

Serrano was charged as an adult in February with Attempted Murder, Aggravated Assault, Simple Assault, Reckless Endangerment and related charges, stemming from the stabbing of his 13-year-old brother and 9-year-old sister at a playground outside of Oak Park Elementary in Hatfield Township. The boy sustained more than 15 stab wounds in the attack across his chest, back, face, neck and hands, and the girl sustained multiple stab wounds to her head, according to investigators.

Defense attorney Michael Drossner said on Thursday that Serrano does not belong in the adult criminal justice system, and instead would benefit from the rehabilitation-focused aspects of the juvenile system, according to the report.

Hessler’s report quotes the attorney as follows:

“We look forward to the opportunity to show the commonwealth, the D.A.’s office, and if necessary, the court, that Nathan is in need of treatment as a juvenile and does not belong in the adult criminal justice system,” said Drossner, in the Mercury report.

Should the case remain in adult court, Serrano could face a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison if found guilty of attempted murder or aggravated assault. However, if the charges were proven in juvenile court, Serrano could be held under court supervision until his 21^st birthday while participating in treatment and rehabilitation programs.

Court records indicate that Serrano waived his preliminary hearing earlier this week, which moves the case to the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas for formal arraignment at a later date. Serrano remains in custody at the Montgomery County Youth Center in lieu of $500,000 bail.